Rail launcher

Abstract

A rail launcher for a guided missile is shown to include a pair of movable sections, each actuable first to form a gap in an otherwise continuous rail for receiving a lug affixed to a guided missile and then to return to an initial position, capturing such lug and forming a track.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a rail launcher wherein a pair of lugs affixed to a guided missile may slide along a substantially continuous rail, the improvement comprising: (a) a first movable section of rail initially aligned with the substantially continuous rail, one end of such first movable section normally abutting a first fixed section of such rail;   (b) a second movable section of rail initially aligned with the substantially continuous rail, one end of such second movable section normally abutting the second end of the first movable section and the second end of such second movable section being hinged to a second fixed section of such rail; and   (c) a wedge formed by the abutting ends of the first and the second movable sections.   
     
     
       2. The improvement as in claim 1 having, additionally, means for sliding the first movable section toward the second movable section, thereby rotating the second movable section and forming a space between the first movable section and the first fixed section to accommodate one of the pair of lugs. 
     
     
       3. The improvement as in claim 2 having, additionally, means for latching the first movable section in position to maintain the space between the first movable section and the first fixed section. 
     
     
       4. The improvement as in claim 3 having, additionally, means, responsive to one of the lugs, when such lug is inserted in the space between the first movable section and the first fixed section, for unlatching the first movable section to cause such section, and the second movable section, to the initial position.